Besides correcting the general populace’s expectation levels, which spiked after a victory over the Dallas Cowboys, it should provide clarity for the Chargers front office.

The 27-17 loss to the Oakland Raiders had Chargers players saying words like “frustrating” and “embarrassing” and describing themselves as "lost." It should have Tom Telesco and John Spanos saying, “Thank you.”

At least now they know for sure. There will be no run of success that is simply fool’s gold. This terrible defeat will preserve the patient integrity of this don’t-call-it-a-rebuild project.

If the brass was going to be tempted over the next three weeks to think about leveraging the future for a possible playoff run in 2013, it can securely banish thoughts of trading away draft picks for immediate help.

Now no one needs to weigh the Chargers' chances. A win Sunday, getting lucky against Indianapolis next Monday and then coming back from Jacksonville with a 5-2 record and going into the bye would have created temptation, even knowing the brutal second half of the season that follows.

I kept asking Mike McCoy on Sunday night (Monday morning) if the Chargers needed Rivers to play brilliantly in order to win games. He kept answering as if he thought I was slamming Rivers for his play Sunday.

“Everyone around him has to play well,” McCoy said a few times.

Exactly. That’s the point. And it isn’t going to happen very often with this group.

The more I think about it, McCoy has to know that -- and was purposely evading the question.

The Chargers were unstoppable a week earlier against Dallas. In fact, shallow talent pool and injuries be damned, it could be argued they were 17 seconds from being 4-0.

But Sunday, a slow start had them saying so many things they said so many times the previous three years about fighting hard and regrouping.

I don’t see ripping McCoy too much this year. His team wasn’t so much sluggish as exposed on Sunday. You can look at the roster and easily imagine a certain former Chargers General Manager shrugging and saying, “It is what it is.”

Dwight Freeney is gone, and Melvin Ingram will be back too late, if at all. Eric Weddle cannot play every secondary position at one time. The defensive line doesn’t win battles nearly enough. Manti Te’o doesn’t have enough experience to make up for his lack of speed and physicality.